Offline Contest Registration Doesn't Work

Many small businesses still rely on outdated lead generation methods, such as:

• Collecting business cards in a fishbowl – This method gathers random business contacts, usually work emails, which makes it difficult to send personalized offers
• Sign-up sheets – Paper sign-ups are hard to manage, and handwriting can be illegible, leading to inaccurate or incomplete data
• Paper raffle tickets – These don’t collect customer emails or mobile numbers in a way that’s easy to use for follow-up marketing

These methods fail to capture high-quality, local customer data, making it difficult to engage leads with future promotions, discounts, or coupons. CliquePrize® solves this problem by collecting first-party customer data—such as first name, last name, email, mobile number, and zip code—on an opt-in basis. This ensures that small businesses gather real, actionable leads that can be nurtured into repeat customers.

Current Small Business Lead Generation Tactics

Most brick-and-mortar small businesses don’t invest heavily in online lead generation tactics like SEO or PPC advertising. Instead, they rely on local engagement through the following methods:

• Google and Yelp Reviews – Small Business owners encourage Contestants to leave positive reviews, which helps improve online visibility. However, reviews don’t provide customer contact information, making it impossible to re-engage with reviewers directly
• Google My Business Optimization – Keeping business hours, menus, and promotions updated helps attract local search traffic, but it doesn’t generate a list of leads that can be marketed to later
• POS System Data Collection – Platforms like Toast, Square, and Clover allow small businesses to track purchase history and offer loyalty rewards, but these systems only capture data when a customer makes a purchase, not when they are first considering your small business.

CliquePrize® fills this gap by capturing leads before they become paying customers, allowing small businesses to nurture and convert them over time. Thus, there is a Conversion Sales Funnel to consider.

Understanding the Sales Conversion Funnel: AIDA

Small business owners must understand the Sales Conversion Funnel to turn leads into paying customers. The AIDA model—Awareness, Interest, Desire, and Action—breaks down the journey from first impression to final purchase. Each stage is critical in converting potential customers into loyal buyers.

1. Awareness: Capturing Attention with CliquePrize® (Top of the Funnel)

Awareness is the first step in the funnel. If Contestants don’t know your small business exists, they can’t buy from you. CliquePrize® is designed to create brand awareness by offering an enticing giveaway. A high-value prize grabs attention, encouraging Contestants to opt-in and share their contact information. This step ensures that local consumers discover and engage with your small business in a meaningful way because the offer is relevant and the odds of winning are high.

2. Interest: The Opt-In Moment

When a Contestant enters a CliquePrize® promotion, they move from Awareness to Interest. They’re not just noticing your small business; they’re actively engaging with it. By providing their first name, last name, email, mobile number, and zip code, they show a genuine interest in your brand. This is a critical touchpoint—it signals that they are open to hearing from you, setting the stage for deeper engagement.

3. Desire: Building Excitement Through Digital Marketing (Mid-Funnel)

Once a lead has opted in, the next step is to create Desire. Digital marketing strategies like email campaigns and SMS text messages help nurture this interest by providing exclusive offers, discounts, and event invitations. The goal is to transform passive interest into active desire—making potential customers feel like they’re missing out if they don’t visit your store. This is why Small Businesses use a low-cost CRM like HelloLeads to manage their contact list captured from CliquePrize®.

4. Action: The In-Store Purchase (Lower Funnel)

The final step in the AIDA model is Action—when a customer visits your location and makes a purchase. Without a well-built lead list, Awareness and Interest rarely happen, and Desire never develops. The local market is crowded with options, and even if a Sponsor offers a great product or service, it must stand out to be considered. Offering something of value, like a giveaway, is the key to getting potential customers to take action.

By leveraging CliquePrize®, small businesses can consistently generate Awareness and Interest, nurture leads through digital marketing, and drive real-world foot traffic that leads to sales.

Why CliquePrize® is Elite for Local Lead Generation

CliquePrize® is designed specifically for small, local brick and mortar businesses looking to attract customers in their area. Here’s how it stands out from other methods:

• Local Targeting – Instead of gathering random internet leads, CliquePrize® ensures that leads come from local customers near your small business. The app verifies Contestant locations with patent-pending technology that leverages Apple Location Services for precise targeting
• One-Click Entry – Contestants can enter a promotion in seconds, making registration frictionless and maximizing engagement
• Highly-Secure - CliquePrize® is hosted on the MS Azure Cloud and is a highly secure; the odds of Contestant data being hacked or stolen is remote
• First-Party Data Collection – Unlike social media contests that provide limited customer details, CliquePrize® captures essential contact information—on an opt-in basis—that small businesses can use for marketing and sales follow-ups
• Fair, Transparent Winner Selection – CliquePrize® prevents fraud by offering Small Businesses the ability to blindly select winners, ensuring fair play and building trust with Contestants. The same is true if the App itself selects winners

Lead Scoring: Turning Leads Into Repeat Paying Customers

Not all leads are equal, which is why lead scoring helps small businesses prioritize high-value customers. With CliquePrize®, brick and mortar small businesses can start segmenting their leads. A simple lead scoring model might look like this:

• High-Value Customers (Score of 3) – Repeat customers who spend more and visit frequently
• Mid-Value Customers (Score of 2) – Occasional customers who engage with promotions but don’t visit often
• Low-Value Customers (Score of 1) – One-time visitors who may need additional incentives to return

Through CliquePrize® Surveys and Video Contests, small businesses can learn customer preferences, likes, dislikes, and where they live by zip codes—allowing for targeted offers that increase loyalty. The ultimate goal? To clone your best customers by attracting more people like them.

Lead Generation Is A Numbers Game

The more Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs) you collect, the more opportunities you have to convert them into paying customers. CliquePrize® helps small businesses build their local marketing database, making it easier to:

• Send more emails and texts – More touchpoints lead to higher engagement and foot traffic
• Drive repeat visits – Offering exclusive promotions to past Contestants to encourage them to return
• Increase conversion rates – The larger the pool of local SQLs, the better the chances of finding high-value, repeat paying customers

CliquePrize® also helps segment Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) from Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs)—so small businesses can focus on customers who are most likely to convert. The default SQL percentage is 10%, but small business owners can customize this setting to fit their needs.

Using CliquePrize® to Generate Leads at Events

Hosting Events is another powerful way to generate leads. With CliquePrize®, small businesses can:

• Run Event Registrations – Capture attendee information before they even arrive.
• Track Attendance – Know exactly who showed up to your event.
• Select Prize Winners – Offer a giveaway to boost participation and collect lead data.

For example, a local Bridal shop could sponsor a 5K charity race and use CliquePrize® to register runners, track attendance, and award a free prize to lucky Contestants. This not only promotes community engagement but also generates a highly targeted list of local leads.

Pro Tip: When planning an event, small business owners should consider permits, location logistics, and insurance coverage to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Brick and mortar small businesses need better ways to capture and use local, customer data, and CliquePrize® is the ultimate tool for effective local lead generation. Instead of relying on outdated fishbowls or hoping customers leave a review, small businesses can actively grow their targeted marketing list with real, local leads.

For just $29 upfront and $1 per lead, small businesses can start building a database of high-value customers, driving foot traffic, and increasing sales.

Start your first CliquePrize® promotion today and take control of your lead generation strategy!

🚀 Ready to take your marketing to the next level? Download the CliquePrize® app and create a FREE Sponsor Account today!

CliquePrize®*** is the iPhone Giveaways mobile app that helps Small Businesses grow by reaching, nurturing and converting local, high value prospects. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know!***